


Triumvirate

by klutzy34



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, F/M, M/M, Multi, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-26
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-26 23:06:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7593937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klutzy34/pseuds/klutzy34
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With darkness rolling towards Hawaii, Steve and Kono question if they'll find the third member of their triumvirate in time. So really, no one can blame them for hijacking the detective that walks into the bar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Finding The Third

**Author's Note:**

> I've been wanting to write Steve/Kono/Danny for a long time, which is pretty much an ot3 for me. It came with some unusual elements along the way. Hopefully not too unusual.

The witching hour struck at Kamekona’s and the party truly began to take off, bodies finally leaving tables and booths en masse for the dance floor, groups of two and three pressing in close, no fear of invading the personal space of the others. Such attachment to each other, Kono thought, as she watched them laugh or lose themselves to sensual bliss. In the dimness of the club, she lifted her arm to run her fingers over the runes trailing down the inside of her forearm. Four that stood out boldly and the two that didn’t.

“We will find our third.” Steve’s mouth was close enough to her ear that it sent a little shiver of delight down her back where she lay up against him, one of his arms wrapped loosely around her. Steve had never been much of a dancer, Kono losing that argument with each passing decade until she finally gave in. They shared a passion for the fight and that, depending on the style, could be close enough. His head dipped down to brush lips against her neck and she closed her eyes, tilting her head back and curling her bare toes on the empty seat of their booth, her quiet happy him lost under the heavy beat of the music. 

“You said that last year,” she reminded him, “and the year before that. Actually, I believe you’ve been saying that since the 90s, McGarrett,” she teased him, though her heart was only half in it. She gently pried his arm away from her body, running her fingers over the identical marks on Steve’s arm, four bold, two faded. The marks of their mysterious third. “Do you ever wonder if maybe we’ve lost them?” she added, losing the battle against keeping the ennui at bay. “I’ve just watched Chin with Malia and Abby, all of them having fully unlocked their power. How happy they all are together. Nothing can touch them.”

In fact, her cousin was at home at this very moment, the three of them enjoying their first full night of sleep together now that their two daughters slept through the night. Watching them together, she couldn’t be happier for them but felt the small hole where her third should be and knew that Steve felt the same. She saw it in his eyes when he stood looking out to the ocean and she was suddenly struck by how old he really was, how long he’d been waiting. Longer than her and yet he refused to give her an age, leaving her to thoroughly investigate until she received an answer.

“Well, I was going to suggest a personal ad but I think all that will accomplish is getting us burned at the stake,” Steve replied dryly, earning an elbow in the side for his remark. Burning at the stake was an antiquated method of dispatching witches, one that was strictly monitored by federal law, and even with Hawaii’s more open-minded approach to their kind, humans were still extremely wary and prone to jumping to conclusions first, the truth last. 

“You know,” she said, tilting her head back to look up at Steve, “before you white people showed up and forced us to accept your rules, our kind was given the utmost respect, not hunted and monitored to the point that we have to hide what we are.” These days, Kono applied a layer of concealer to her arm before leaving the house, hiding the runes. It felt disgraceful to the gift she was given, but it was better than being unable to make a move without watchful eyes. 

“You also know what I mean. You felt the earth tremble the other night, the feeling of darkness moving towards us. Something’s coming and as the guardians of this island, we need to be at our best. Not hindered by trying to find Where’s Witchy Waldo,” she added, waving an arm at the room. It was too dark to see through to the other side, but she didn’t see a single unattached witch. They were all claimed.

“I’m a little worried when I’m the one that has faith of the two of us, Kalakaua,” Steve said, but the joking tone didn’t reach his expression, brow furrowed in concern. Sighing, Kono extricated herself from him and grabbed her glass, knocking the rest of it back before she held it out to him.

“Go get me another drink. I’m going to the bathroom,” she said, slipping her feet into her shoes and sliding out of the booth, easily winding her way around the weaving, grinding bodies in her way. Despite the loud music, no one outside would hear a thing, Kamekona’s carefully woven sound barrier spells making sure the small club stayed safe for the witches of the island to gather. He was an old and dear friend, always looking to lend a hand, his knowledge of the island tied with his intelligent business acumen. The booth she and Steve shared was always held for them on their regular Thursday nights, their drinks half price. The same went for Chin and his triumvirate. Kamekona knew what they did for the island and made sure they were well cared for.

Once she emerged from the stall, she ran her hands under the water in the sink. Tendrils curled around her wrist, her element soothing the ragged edges of her worry, the way the ocean used to. It still held so much peace for her, yet the underlying layer of darkness made her uneasy. It was growing stronger every day as whatever the earthquake broke loose came closer to her beloved island, her home. 

She yanked her hands away, turning off the faucet and drying her hands, wanting to return to her air witch’s embrace. Kono was in such a distracted state of mind that she turned the corner and slammed into another body, a short blond man with one finger stuck in his ear, a phone held up to the other. “I know that, Rachel, but you can’t-” The collision sent the phone flying and he rounded on her, fists up and at the ready. Kono felt the faintest flare up of heat before he got a good look at her, hands dropping and an apologetic look appearing on his face. “Sorry,” he said shortly, turning away to reclaim his phone.

Kono chewed on her lip for a moment, then reached out to slide a hand under his elbow. They both felt the strong jolt when they touched, him spinning around and taking a step back as Kono’s eyes widened. Without asking, she grabbed his arm again, pulling it out straight. Two runes bold...and if her eyes weren’t tricking her in the poor light, four pale. Her grip tightened and she pulled him after her, heading straight for their booth.

“Hey, now wait just a moment!” he shouted, trying and failing to find a foothold firm enough to stop her. “Are all you waters pushy? I swear I've never met one that knew the meaning of the word polite in my - look, are you going to tell me what’s going on? Because I am really not in the mood tonight to be yanked around like some…” At that point, Kono tuned him out and slid into the seat, pulling him down after her. Steve’s eyebrow rose as he glanced between her and him, then he raised a hand in an unasked question. 

“Shake hands. Now,” she quickly commanded, leaning back so that Steve could reach across her. There had been a connection between her and the blondie, but it meant next to nothing if Steve didn’t feel the same. Her shoulder pressed against his chest in the minimal room, she felt the sharp intake of breath, saw his eyes widen. 

“Danny. I mean, I’m Danny. Williams. I just moved here from New Jersey and - _mrf!_ ” Kono pressed her lips to Danny’s, feeling the heat there. His surprised struggle gave way to easy acceptance, one hand sliding tentatively onto her hip, then his grip firmer. She felt Steve press against her back, his arm sliding under hers to rest on Danny’s hip. Danny pulled away from her, a dazed look in his eyes, and he barely had a moment to draw in a breath before Steve kissed him hard, Kono pressed between them. 

When Steve finally pulled away, he was grinning. “You’re that detective at HPD that’s irritating everyone,” he said, resting his chin on Kono’s shoulder. She rest a hand on the side of his face, turning her head to kiss his temple before she gave Danny her attention again.

Danny scowled. “It may just be my old fashioned manners, but that’s usually the thing you discuss before sucking face, isn’t it?” he asked dryly, reaching out to grab Steve’s beer and take a swallow, his lips moving on the bottle in a way that made Steve shift behind her, eliciting an amused smirk from Kono. 

“Move,” she said, pressing a foot against Danny’s thigh, “I can’t hear myself think in here and that is one thing I need to do right now.” After a second nudge, Danny slid from the booth, shifting awkwardly while Steve and Kono collected their things. They didn’t let him hang for long, both sliding an arm over his shoulders and steering him towards the exit. Danny hesitated at first, but then fell into step. There was still distance there though, Kono could feel it, and if she had her way, it wouldn’t be for long.

They emerged into the warm night air, the sound of the ocean not far off in the sudden silence around them. Steve pulled his keys from his pocket as Kono steered them for the truck. “So when did you die?” Steve asked casually, causing Danny to gape at him.

“Where I come from, it’s considered rude to just ask people about their death,” Danny growled, feathers obviously ruffled. “How did you die, huh? When?” He slipped an arm loose from Kono to jab him in the chest. “Did someone take offense to your rudeness and just plug you?”

“Plug? What are you, a mobster?” Danny’s expression suddenly closed up and he stared straight ahead, a small tic working in his jaw. Steve’s eyebrows rose, giving their new friend a questioning look as Kono gave him a dark look over Danny’s head. She laid an arm on his shoulder, leaning into him. 

“I drowned, trying to make a journey between islands,” she said quietly, one shoulder rising. “To be fair, I did find my greater purpose, though it would have been nice if dying hadn’t been part of it.” She trailed off, then shook her head after a beat. “But we can’t change the past, can we?”

“So how old does that make you?” Kono pinched Danny’s side, making him jump sideways into Steve.

“One does not ask that of a lady, speaking of rudeness,” she replied, barely able to hide her smile. He looked chagrined, rubbing at where she pinched him. “So what’s your story?”

They stopped at the truck, Steve leaning against the side with his arms crossed. Danny glanced between them, one hand sliding in his pocket, the other running through his hair awkwardly. “I, uh, came home from war, found a spot in a precinct as a detective. Had some pretty firm morals, too firm for one of the local families. Couldn’t be bought or turned and since I was a thorn in their side…” He trailed off, making a finger gun at the side of his head and pulling the trigger. “Then I rose from the dead because my witch blood ignited and was drafted into fighting the mystical war against the forces of evil trying to establish themselves on earth and so on, bad Hollywood supernatural movie summary concluded.” As he spoke, he weaved a hand through the air, making Kono wonder if his hands ever stopped moving.

Actually, she was sure that she could think of a few ways she and Steve could accomplish that. It hadn’t escaped either of them that Detective Williams was quite easy on their eyes and that while it wasn’t required to bond a triumvirate, sex certainly made it more fun. She and Steve certainly thoroughly enjoyed their bonding experience, emerging few times over the weekend for necessities of living. 

“So what’s your story?” Danny asked, pointing a finger at Steve. “Let me guess, you were some queen’s bedchamber boy toy until she upgraded to a newer model. You’re certainly pretty enough for it.”

Steve gently elbowed Kono. “Did you hear that? He thinks I’m pretty.” He shot her an amused grin and she knew what would come next, trying to hold the eye roll until he delivered. Steve’s expression went carefully blank as he looked back to Danny. “My story is classified,” he added, then hopped up into the truck. 

Danny’s mouth dropped open. “Excuse me? We’re all part of one big messed up magical army here, pal. There is no classified. Hell, half the people I meet like us predate the word and the meaning. Classified, my ass!” He thrust a finger into Steve’s face. “So help me, if you don’t tell me, I will drag it out of you.” He stepped back, rolling up his sleeves and then planting himself, arms crossed, glaring defiantly at Steve. “Let’s go.”

Steve’s eyebrow rose. “You’re serious right now,” he said slowly, then looked to Kono. “You’re right, we’re keeping him.”

Danny threw out his arms. “Hey, standing right here. Don’t I get a say in the matter?” 

Kono nodded slowly. “You do. Well, you do in this. Steve is probably already drafting a requisition order in his head to steal you from HPD.” Steve shrugged casually, arms draped over his knees as he watched the two of them.

“We can always use another witch to bring the number up to five. Five points of the pentagram. We also have a healer, which I’m sure they don’t offer in the HPD healthcare package. Malia’s a doctor as well. Two for the price of one.”

Kono took a step towards Danny, her hand sliding down to interlace her fingers with his. Again, she felt that exhilarating rush of connection and knew he did too, feeling the shiver of his body as she leaned against him. “So you’ll be kidnapped to join Five-0. That part is non negotiable,” she admitted, “but us, Steve and I, we’ve been looking for our third for a long time. I know you feel it too.” This time, Danny did look up at her and she leaned forward to kiss him gently.

“That part doesn’t happen without your willing consent,” she said softly, taking his other hand in hers, squeezing them both. “I know this is a lot to take in, and you can take your time to think it over, but -”

Danny sighed. “There’s not really much to think about, is there? Finding your third is one in a billion. When you do, you jump or lose it, right?” He looked between them. “Besides, I know you two feel it too, something creeping from out in the ocean. Who wouldn’t want to be at their best when it comes rolling in, huh? It’s not like we’re made to run.” He shrugged, the tiniest hint of a deprecating smirk tugging at his lips. 

He tilted his head up towards the night sky, the moon rising nearly full over the ocean. “I think the choice has already been made anyway.” He turned his forearm so that the runes were visible, the four starting to darken against his skin. “I guess I’m in.”

\-------------

The full moon lit her way as Kono made her way down the lawn to stand in the gentle tide rolling in. She wiggled her toes in the water and then moved farther in, pulling Steve’s shirt tighter around her against the chill that worked its way up her body. She felt the power of her element caress against her skin, filling her more than ever before. She felt it all around her, just within reach, her body sensitive to it like she’d never experienced before.

In the house behind her, the boys slept on, fully satisfied and sprawled out over what part of that bed Kono hadn’t previously occupied. No doubt they’d unconsciously begun to drift towards each other and she would play hell finding space to sleep when she returned. A gentle smile touched her lips, looking forward to that. In a matter of days, once the bond was in place, it was like they’d known each other for decades instead of a whirlwind week.

She entirely understood why Chin seemed so happy now. It wasn’t just the companionship, not just fully unlocking her power, but the strength of emotion between them. It was also the family vibe, their bond with Danny meaning they now had his daughter, a novice witch named Grace, as part of their family. Kono couldn’t wait for her element to come to her, to teach her everything she knew.

The water brushing against her ankles wasn’t without its share of bad news. More than ever, she could feel the evil closing in. It would be here soon, whether that was days, months, years. Time came differently to witches and mortals but if there was one thing she knew, they would be there to protect the islands when it came, regardless of how the mortals felt about them. They would see Five-0, the elite taskforce working to keep them safe, not knowing what they gave to fight the forces of darkness away from mortal eyes.

They wouldn’t have to do it alone though. She had Chin, with her for over a century now, she had Steve and Danny, her triumvirate. Abby, a cop as good as the rest of them, and Malia, with a gentle touch and a way of working medical miracles. Others as well, Kamekona and Max, those who supported them. The evil could try to come to the island, but it wouldn’t stay long.

Kono extended her arm, the moonlight illuminating the runes, all of them now fully darkened. The bond complete. Her gaze rose back to the ocean and she smirked, pulling the shirt tight around her once again as her chin tilted up defiantly. 

“Bring it on.”


	2. Moving In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While this 'verse has taken on a life of its own and will probably create a few more stories, I wanted to write a fluffy little second part to this one.

Danny just finished shaking the water from his hands and reaching for the towel when he heard the nails-on-chalkboard squeak of the rusty hinges on the screen door. Figuring either Steve or Kono had gone outside for something, he dried his hands and reached for the doorknob, hesitating when he heard the muted voices through the flimsy material of the door.

“It looks like we might have interrupted your Saturday for nothing,” Steve was casually explaining to someone and Danny could just picture him standing there with a faintly annoyed expression, hands resting on his hips in perpetual Commander mode that didn’t even turn off at rest, “because I thought he might have a little more than this to move.”

_Wait._ Danny pulled open the door and stormed the few steps to the cramped living room in the decrepit shoebox of an apartment he called home, arms crossing over his chest and feet planting out as he glared at the party that suddenly materialized in the few minutes he’d been in the bathroom. “What the hell is going on here?” he demanded, leveling an annoyed look at each of them in turn. “Well?”

“This just became a little awkward,” Malia sighed, reluctantly pulling from the chaste embrace Chin had her in to address Kono and Steve. “Did you two actually ask Danny if he wanted to move in or…?” She trailed off, head hanging slightly as, completely unabashed, Steve raised his hand and Kono pointed at him. 

“I told him to ask but he turned those great big puppy dog eyes on me and said, ‘Kono, look at where he’s living. Even with his skill, how can we expect that he’ll be properly protected?’ Then he started to clean out the old bedroom for Grace and…” Kono spread out her hands. “In my defense, the whole operation moved very fast. There were plans to ask him.” 

Danny raised his hand. “Excuse me, I would not allow my daughter to stay here if it wasn’t properly protected, thank you very much.” No, natural born witches were a miracle in and of themselves and from day one, Danny had been utterly enchanted by his daughter, combined with a fierce instinct to make sure that she grew up with everything she needed, a happy life. The apartment may have been dank and dismal but it was the best he could do. “I understand this place is no one’s idea of paradise, but I work hard to manage, okay? So if you would put my boxers down, Steven, we can go out to lunch like we were supposed to and maybe later, _maybe_ , we can have this discussion like adults, yes?” 

Steve held up the aforementioned boxers, a prank gift of a few years back reserved for when he’d run out of laundry from no time to do it, a bright yellow smiley face on each buttock. “Buddy, I really need these to be in my life,” he said, lowering them enough to grin at Danny. 

“Then take them with my blessing and wear them with unrestrained joy, I care not,” Danny replied, waving a hand at him and rolling his eyes. 

“Oh no, Kono and I agreed that it needs to be that finely rounded ass of yours wearing them. No one else would fill out the smileys quite right.” Kono buried her face in her hands, at least partially confirming that that conversation had taken place while he was in the bathroom. 

“I don’t think we’re getting that food anytime soon,” Chin murmured, once again winding his arms around Malia’s waist and tugging her back against him so he could rest his chin on her shoulder. She went willingly, arms resting over his, head tilting against his, eyes closed. 

“Food can wait a little while longer. You remember the first days of our triumvirate, the growing pains of youth,” she quietly teased him, then laughed softly. “Although in our case, it was space around the sink in the bathroom. I still say it was a very small counter, not that Abby and I had that much stuff.” She dropped a hand to poke him in the side, getting a small jump for her effort. 

“It was a very small counter,” Chin agreed, “when put in perspective with the house we live in now. There’s plenty of space for all.” He tightened his arms around her, turning his head to press a light, lingering kiss against her cheek, inhaling the soft scent of her floral perfume. “One of us should probably give Abby the heads up so she knows we’re in a holding pattern until this is settled.” 

Malia turned in his arms, hand sliding around to his back pocket and removing his phone. She pecked him lightly on the lips and turned to leave the apartment, squeaky hinges making Chin wince again, followed by the slamming of the screen door. It didn’t interrupt the argument currently taking place around the sofa bed. 

“...at least here, I am responsible for paying my fair share of everything. I do not rely on others to pay my way, I do for myself. That is the kind of family that I grew up in, the lessons that were imparted on me, and I will not change that, regardless of how many decades I see,” Danny stated, shaking a finger in the air. 

“Whoa, whoa, _whoa_ ,” Kono stated, stepping between her two boys and placing a hand on each of their chests. “Is this the problem we’re having? That you think we’re going to keep you as some kind of pet?” she asked, brow furrowing as she looked to Danny. 

“Not a mention has been made about my part in rent, utilities, taxes,” he grumbled, glaring past her at Steve, who silently glared back, hands once again planted firmly on his hips. 

“Because we didn’t think that needed to be discussed now,” Kono replied gently, turning to face Danny fully. “Of course you’ll be paying your fair share. A third, just as you are in this relationship.” 

“A little more than a third,” Danny said, running his hand through his hair, his body language becoming slightly awkward. “Gracie will be staying with me occasionally, so it’s only fair - “ 

“Grace,” Kono interrupted him, “is family and you will do no such thing.” She slipped her fingers in the beltloops of his jeans, taking a step back into Steve and tugging Danny with her. “Look, we did get a little overzealous. You spend most of your time with us, a fair amount of your stuff is at the house, we just thought that maybe…”

“It was just a matter of getting it done,” Steve filled in, shrugging. “The three of us bonding came pretty naturally...and repeatedly.” There was that damn grin again and Danny wasn’t sure if he wanted to kiss him or slap it off his face. Kono had the grace to give him an ‘oh please’ look, though there was the faintest hint of amusement under it, the corner of her mouth twitching in a suppressed smile. He couldn’t help it, not when Kono got started. Danny felt his lips starting to form a smile as well. 

Kono stepped out from between them, then sunk down onto one knee. She took Danny’s hand in hers, looking up at him with such an earnest expression. He wanted to drop down on his knees with her and apparently so did Steve, who did just that and took Danny’s other hand, looking over at Kono for what she had planned next. Her head tilted up, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “Daniel Anthony Williams, will you please do us the honor of moving in with us?” 

“What she said, Daniel,” Steve murmured, tilting his head towards Kono, who gave him an affectionate elbow.

Danny couldn’t with these two, these two wonderful, loving, ridiculous, sometimes impetuous but with good intentions, strong, smart people, these two witches who brought a fulfillment into his life that he never truly realized was missing. As he looked around the small apartment, suitcases lived out of but never unpacked, Grace’s things in a plastic box under the windowsill, all the hallmarks of a house lived in, but not a home, he knew what his answer would be. 

“Yes, okay? Yes, I will move in with you two. You can annoy me full time now, how does that sound?” Kono lept to her feet, tugging Steve along with her. Her hands rest on the back of their heads, pulling them close to rest foreheads against each other. 

“It sounds amazing,” she replied quietly, then gently kissed his cheek and Steve’s before pulling them in close again. “I have my boys in one place, that’s all I can ask.” 

He heard the screendoor open and shut again, soft footsteps heading for the occupied space by the wall and Malia’s murmured, ‘what did I miss?’

“The usual,” Chin answered quietly, his tone dry, “one of many arguments to come and then the touching making up, followed by, I’m hoping, us finally leaving to get lunch.” 

\--------

The smell of pancakes fresh and hot from the stove greeted Steve as he padded through the lanai door, wiping the water from his face. There had been a long stretch of time when only silence greeted him, going through the routine of making a protein filled breakfast to satisfy his post workout hunger before retreating to his bedroom to change. These days, the house was alive, thrumming with warmth and a happiness he hadn’t felt in years.

First there was Kono. The spartan household suddenly took on splashes of color as he’d find bathing suit tops and bottoms draped over chairs here and there, magazines and books piled on top of each other, adding a controlled clutter to the house. Steve’s repeated military experiences itched at first, his fingers twitched as he resisted straightening up, until it became a comfort rather than an issue.

Then came Danny and Grace. There was a laundry basket sitting on the couch, full of clean clothing of the four of them that had yet to be put away. A football sat on the coffee table from a game at the park the other day. A rag doll sat in the armchair, half slumped over and beaming up at Steve. This house was a home now, had been from the day he invited Kono to move in with him. His chest filled with warmth and he smiled, as Danny would say, with stupid affection back at the doll, finishing ruffling the towel through his hair.

A burst of laughter drew his attention back to the kitchen and he padded towards it, poking his head around the corner. Frank Sinatra’s smooth voice filled the room, crooning about flying away with him to exotic locales, while Danny pulled Kono up from the dip and they started their two step around the kitchen again. Grace watched them, a forkful of pancake in one hand and her mouth sticky with syrup as she watched them with a child’s intensity, as if every move they made mattered in her world. 

They all seemed to shine so brightly in the sunlit kitchen, chasing away the shadows that once inhabited so much of Steve’s life. Danny and Kono locked eyes as they swayed, a look of sheer _love_ and affection passing between the two of them, even as they joked and teased. Steve felt reluctant to make a silent move for the coffee pot calling his name on the counter, but he finally couldn’t resist the siren call. The movement caught their eyes.

“Steve, come dance,” Kono called to him, reaching a hand out for him. She wiggled her fingers as if casting a spell to lure him closer. “Please?” she asked, her expression becoming innocent and pleading, one that Steve was hardpressed to turn down. Sighing, he set down his newly filled cup and Danny stepped back to let him slide in with Kono. “Just sway with me,” she murmured, leaning in closer to rest her head against his chest. While he wanted to just wrap her up in his arms, they maintained their two step, swinging over to the stove to flip pancakes before they worked their way back. 

Then she looked up at him with that familiar look of mischief in her eyes and the question of what she was up to died on Steve’s lips as she pushed him away, her grip on his hand causing him to spin - right into Danny’s arms. One arm slid behind his back, the other took his hand, and just as he had with Kono, they began their simple two step around the kitchen. This time, Grace giggled and Kono joined in, Danny clearly hamming it up for the crowd. As the song came to a close, Danny stopped and tilted Steve back into a low dip. If it had been anyone else other than Danny, or Kono, he would have put them on their ass. Instead, he rolled his eyes as Danny pulled him back up. 

“See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” He pat Steve’s stomach as he passed him towards the fridge. “Now, go get your coffee and a stack and eat up. We have to hit the sporting goods store early or they’re going to sell out of those tents we were looking at earlier now that they’re on sale. I am not sleeping crunched up on the solstice, I refuse,” he added. 

Once he’d gotten his food, Steve set his plate on the table to Grace’s right and bent down to look the little girl in the eye. “Can I sit beside you?” he asked. Grace nodded enthusiastically, head bobbing up and down hard enough to make her little pigtails bounce. As Kono sat to her left, she turned her attention to her. 

“Auntie, can you do the orange tomato?” she asked, pushing her glass towards Kono. 

“The orange tornado?” Kono gently corrected her and pulled the glass a little closer. She held a finger over the glass, the liquid slowly climbing to nearly touch it when she began to lazily twirl it. The orange column began to take on a distinct funnel shape, Grace enraptured by it, eyes wide. It picked up speed, spinning faster and faster, until Kono’s finger stopped and it dropped back into the glass, splattering a few drops on the table. She cleaned it up with a napkin and pushed Grace’s glass back. 

“Thank you. It tastes better now,” Grace informed them, raising the glass to her lips and taking a long drink, a third of the glass disappearing in one go. 

“Kind of like Danno and marshmallows, huh?” Steve asked, shooting a look towards the man taking the last place at the other end of the table. Grace grinned and nodded. 

“Can we have marshmallows at the solstice?” she asked, looking between the three of them. 

“Of course!” Kono’s answer came without hesitation, reaching over to rest a hand on Grace’s head. “We can have whatever we want. It’s a big celebration with lots of good food and people and singing and dancing.” 

Steve’s smile flickered with a hint of uncertainty before he turned his attention back to his pancakes, his stomach suddenly twisting. For reasons he couldn’t put his finger on, he felt like the solstice would be the last light-hearted thing they did for a while, the last event before the darkness swept onto the shores of O’ahu and several other shores around the world where it seeped from dark fissures deep in the ocean after the earthquake felt around the Earth. Finding their third, moving Danny and Grace in with them, it had all been about circling the wagons. 

Chin told him that Abby’s dreams, vague bits of prophecy, were becoming more frequent. Dark supernatural forces converging, drawn from all corners to the new power at play. This was the reason they existed, to protect a world that didn’t even want them around. 

He shook his head, trying to push away the dark thoughts and instead focus on the conversation, Kono explaining to Grace about all the fun things she’d done on solstices past, while Danny watched him in concern. Steve offered him a full cheeked smile, looking like a chipmunk that hit the jackpot. 

The world would throw its worst at them, but looking around the table, Steve knew he wouldn’t be alone in fighting it.


End file.
